Is there a difference between UK and US...

Oberon

Oberon

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owner's relationship with horses?

I'm not really thinking about professional competitors, but more the 'average' DIY horse owner in the UK based on my experience of livery yards I've seen in the last 20 years.

We visit the yard once/twice a day.

Due to land restrictions, our horses are stabled for part or all of the winter.

This means we spend a fair old amount of time with the horses.

I haven't been to the US since I was a little kid. My question is - how does it work in the US?
 
DIY basically doesn't exist in the US - not in the same way it does here, unless you own your own land. Generally people board at a barn either with a resident trainer or a frequently visiting one, and the barn makes all the decisions about the horses in terms of feed, regime etc.
 
^As above. I haven't found that DIY really exists. There tends to be either 'full board' or 'pasture board' i.e. either full livery or grass livery and not much compromise in between.
 
DIY, as said, is not a common concept, unless people have rented a paddock.

I imagine it is similar throughout North America, depending very much on location of course. Mostly full pasture or stall board (livery), ie, feeding and daily checks, hay and bedding are inclusive in the boarding fee. Provision of fin many caseseed, holding for the farrier/vet, grooming or exercising can be extra or inclusive, depends on the individual barn set up. Pasture (outdoor) board is much more common, horses are expected to cope with months of sub zero temps and snow etc...winter happens, get on with it, is very much the way of thinking.

Management is very different to the UK. Often paddocks are smaller, and forage is fed year round if necessary, none of this one horse to one and a half acres, grazing is a bonus it is not intended to actually feed the horse. Land is better used growing several cuts of hay, alfa, crops etc than being wasted on horses - at least that is what any farmer I know will say, horse farmers included. When you have to feed hay for 6-8 months of the year you grow as much as you can rather than waste it feeding grass to horses.

Part boarding is not like part-livery in the UK, it means that you pay an agreed amount, per month for the use of a horse on certain days - the equivalent of sharing really.

I have owners that come up everyday, bring in feed, groom, turn out again etc, and some that I may not see for weeks/months even. Some owners have specific feed they wish their horses to have, others are happy for me to decide, or suggest what would suit. It makes no difference to the horses welfare.

I would be absolutely horrified if anyone suggested that they clean their own stalls or wanted to do anything other than play with their horses. I don't want them to, and in truth, they don't want to do it. It works for us.
 
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That's really interesting. Thank you.

How do you perceive the average owner's relationship with their horse in comparison?
 
Enfys said:
Management is very different to the UK. Often paddocks are smaller, and forage is fed year round if necessary, none of this one horse to one and a half acres, grazing is a bonus it is not intended to actually feed the horse. Land is better used growing several cuts of hay, alfa, crops etc than being wasted on horses - at least that is what any farmer I know will say, horse farmers included. When you have to feed hay for 6-8 months of the year you grow as much as you can rather than waste it feeding grass to horses.
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i think that is a small misconception of alot of people here in the UK. All the yards and horse owners I know feed hay and forage 12 months a year.
 
Oberon said:
That's really interesting. Thank you.

How do you perceive the average owner's relationship with their horse in comparison?
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Exactly the same as anyone anywhere else.

Some dote on them, never ride them, come and give them hugs and carrots and treat them as giant pets.

Some ride as much as they can, some never ride.

Some have their horses for a purpose, they train and compete in the season, out of season the horse is turned away and they come up once a month or so.

I do know that having a horse on full board means that when they come up they can get on with doing the fun stuff rather than slog away with field and stable management which eats into time, energy and enthusiasm.
 
**Vanner** said:
Wow - what an interesting thread. what sort of price do you charge for full board? it would be interesting to see if it is equivalent or cheaper because it is the norm.
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Boarding rates vary as much as they do in the UK, depending on location and facilities.

I charge $300 a month full stall board (minus provision of grain, and I don't exercise or groom) which is cheap. Ad-lib hay, all day turn out blah, blah, blah, but I have few facilities. Only a round pen, the sand gallop, and a dirt riding ring (in summer) for indoor arenas, horsewalkers and all the bells and whistles etc, you can be paying $500.
 
I lived in SoCal in 2007-2008 and rode at a western barn when I was there. Owners paid $500 full board and another $500 to the trainer - I think the trainer's fee included grooming and turning out and exercise/schooling/lessons and the barn fee included mucking out, feeding hay and everything except supplements. Farriery was mega-expensive - $115 just for a trim!
Apparently it was that dear because we were on the coast but inland would have been cheaper.
 
I've recently learnt that haylage is rarely seen in the US, whereas it's the common choice for yards in my area but I had no idea things were so different
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I imagined that being a bigger country there would be oodles of turnout, year round and that DIY would be popular. Especially grass livery.

I may be one of a very few bunch - but I actually enjoy mucking out and looking after my horses. The work is part of it for me, so (including costs)...I am grateful for what I've got
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Are there any other differences I don't know about?
 
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